Railway signal-torpedo.



F. BUTCHER. RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED. FEB. 23, I915.

Patented July 17, 1917.

FRANK DUTCI-IER, 0F VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRALRAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY srennn-ronrnno.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duly 17, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DUTOHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvaina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the follow ing is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, andit pertains to improvements in that type of torpedo which has a bodyportion of paper and a metal clip or bottom therefor, which is shown inUnited States patent granted to Charles E. Beckwith, May 30th 1905 andbearing Number 790,879.

The particular improvements of this in vention over the said patent are:

First: The making of thinner edges at the ends of the torpedo.

Second: The. provision of elongated thin portions extending beyond theexplosive within the shell, whereby there is provided an elongated thinportion for the wheel of the locomotive to engage in advance of strikingthe raised explosive portion for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Third: To remove the turned over metal flanges so far away from theexplosive compound that when the explosion occurs no part of the metalclip or bottom is broken or torn away and thrown through the air tocause probable injury to persons.

In the accompaning drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved torpedo, showing it inposition on the tread of a railway rail.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional. view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a modification of theimprovement.

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the paper or shell or tubeafter it is shaped and before the explosive is placed therein and theclip applied thereto, the said view being of a reduced size as comparedwith the other figures of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is a paper tube or shell, which isfirst shaped as shown in Fig. 4. After being so shaped a tabletexplosive is pushed endwise therein to the center of the shell or tube.'Then a suitable waterproof cement is placed withln the elongatedflattened ends 3 of the shell,

and the walls of the elongated portions flattened down tight, as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and held in that position until the cement hasbecome set. To facilitate the manufacture there will be provided asuitable slide- Way, not here shown, through which the torpedoes will beforced in succession, and held a sufficient length of time to permit thesetting of the cement.

This shell with the explosive therein and in the shape shown in Figs. 1and 2, is then placed on a metal clip 4. This metal clip 1 has at eachend flanges 5, which will stand upward at right angles at the time theshell is placed thereon. The shells with the clip so placed are then putin a suitable press, not shown, and the flanges 5 are clamped down tighton the ends of the shell, as shown, and serve to hold them tightlyclosed. This clip alsoserves to hold either a lead or springrail-engaging strap 6, to the torpedo by means of which it is held uponthe tread of the track.

In Fig. 3 is shown a slight modification. This modification consists inproviding the clip at with lugs 1 which pass through openings 4: in theends of the paper shell and then turned outward, as shown, and

shell is so shaped that some of the explosive is under the folded endsof the paper tube and practically under the turned over flanges of themetal clip. This torpedo has been in practical service for a good manyyears and is regarded as a standard torpedo. However, by reason of theconstruction referred to, it has also been recognized that the torpedohas very blunt ends for the wheel of the locomotive to strike and whenthe rails are wet and slippery, have been known to pop from under thewheels and be knocked off the track without being eX- exploded. It hasalso been well-known that always one, and sometimesboth, of the turnedover metal flanges are blown away and fly through the air and personshave been injured by such flying of the flanges of this torpedo.

By providing the shell with the elongated thin flattened ends, thinleaders are provided for the wheel of the locomotive to grip before theelevated portion of the torpedo is struck which contains the explosive,thus avoiding the popping of the torpedo. Furthermore, this arrangementremoves the turned over flanges or lugs so far from the explosive thatwhen the explosive bursts the paper, no part of the metal clip is thrownaway and thrown flying through the air.

Still another advantage of this construction is that it is found in themanufacture of the Beckwith construction extreme care must be used inplacing the torpedo in the press to have it centralized and provisionmust be made to limit the downward movement of the jaws of the press toprevent the explosion of the torpedo in the press. Even with thiscareexplosions do at times happen andoperatorshave been injuredwby suchexplosions. Vith this construction such explosions will be impossible bythe press, for it willonlytouch the turned over flanges 5, which are sofarremoved from the explosive that it isimpossible to press that part ofthe shell which contains the explosive.

WVhile I have described the explosive 2 as of the tablet form, yet Idesire it to be unders'tood that a loose'powder explosive can be used inthisimproved shell and with the saine advantages as when using thetablet form,

When the loose powder is used one end of the shell will be cemented flatandthe other end left open, and while open filled with a loose powderand then the cement placed in the inner'side of the open end of the tubeand it is then mashed flat. After this the clip will be placed thereon.It will be understood, of course, that in the filling I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A railway signal torpedo comprising a flat elongated clip, anexplosive containing case attached thereto and having its bottom wall incontact with the clip throughout its length, an explosive compoundwithin the case, the case having projecting ends be yond the explosiveof a greaterlength than the thickness of the explosive containing partof the case for the purpose described.

2. A railway signal torpedo comprising a flat elongated clip,anexplosive containing case attached thereto and having its bottom wallin contact with the cl ipthrou ghout its length, an explosive compoundwithin the case, the case having projecting ends beyond the explosive ofa length greater than the thickness of the explosive containing part ofthe case, the upper wall of the projecting ends of the case flatteneddown and cemented to the bottom wall whereby they are held against andparallel with the said bot tom wall for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

FRANK DUTCHER.

Vitnesses:

G. E. lVoLFn, R. WV. JUNKER,

(lollies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1).0.

